Story Mode: Kojuro Katakura
by I'X'A Wolf
Summary: The Sparrow always kept his every words, and is completely loyal to his lord. However, when the time comes, which will he choose ? His Integrity or his Loyalty ?  This is the story of Kojuro Katakura
1. The Battle of Ueda Castle: Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Samurai Warriors and any related merchandise, Koei does.

This particular story of mine is in no way connected to my other fic, Eternal Reverie. The only similar character in this fic to that is Kojuro and Megohime. Yuuki and the others WILL NOT be appearing anywhere in here.

Aside from that, this fic would have shorter chaps (except maybe the "Stage Battle" chap) than ER. Story Arcs would be referred to as "Chapter", which consists of "Prologue", "Stage Battle", "Epilogue", and some "Events" between them. This fic would mostly follows the story-telling format of Samurai Warriors Story/Musou Mode, with some obvious exception. There would be some added drama/humor, and some dialogue as well.

As with the battles in the Warriors series, there would be no character killed "onscreen" unless I said otherwise. I repeat, unless _I _said so, all character will _not_ be killed. How do I said if a character has die ? It's quite simple really, I just do what the SW3 game do: "[Insert name here] has died in battle" or something to that effect.

This fic tells the story of Kojuro Katakura, personal attendant of Masamune Date. His personality is somewhat different than the ER version (more details can be seen on my signature at Koei Lovers Indonesia forum) as do his appearance, and most of the story would take place from his point of view.

Since we hardly ever heard of Kojuro Katakura in any story mode on SW series, I would take some liberty in telling the story. So please, pardon me if any of the characters is OOC. And don't you even dare compare this Kojuro to the _other_ Kojuro from Sengoku Basara =_=

You know the drill, _**NO**_ spam, flame, or any non-constructive comments, those will be ignored. I accept review, comment, critique, and maybe some requests for the "Events".

Without further ado, enjoy the story ^^

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><p><strong>The Sparrow and the Dragon<strong>

Under the azure sky, a lone sparrow flew out from the bamboo grooves. It soars well above an army's banners and camp, heading straight towards Ueda castle in the distance. The sparrow fly past the Tokugawa army main camp and descend upon the castle's ground.

Witnessing the massive army on the castle ground, a certain one-eyed youth felt a twinge of doubt on his heart. A voice in Masamune Date's mind told him that the outnumbered Sanada, his current ally, won't stand a chance against the oncoming army, which were composed of the Tokugawa, led by Ieyasu Tokugawa, and the Hojo, led by the Lion of Sagami, Ujiyasu Hojo himself. Each daimyo had numerous talented vassals, and the most famous of them all is Tadakatsu Honda, whose strength and skills renders him nigh invulnerable.

With 7,000 men, the Hojo-Tokugawa forces lay siege to Ueda castle, which were defended by only 200 soldiers and mercenaries. All of the odds is against the Sanada and their allies, which includes Masamune. Their only hope lies in the brilliant mind of Masayuki Sanada, a shrewd yet masterful strategist and the current clan head of the Sanada. However, is it even possible for them to overcome the odds ? What chance do they have against an army more than twice the size of their own ?

Masamune shook his head. He doesn't care about the odds, the enemy and even his allies. All he cares about is to win and prove his might. Having failed to save his father's life, Masamune swears that his death will not be in vain. For that purpose, he agree to come with his friend, Magoichi Saika, to assist the Sanada. Masamune participate in this battle on his own volition, and he only have one intention: to win. And to do that, he will crush all those who stands in his way.

At that moment, the lone sparrow flew to the tree behind Masamune. It hovered for a moment before perching on someone's finger. Even though he were hidden by the tree's thick foliage, Masamune could already guess who he is. "Why are you here, Kojuro ?" Masamune asked.

The tree rustles as Kojuro Katakura dropped down from his perch. Kojuro crouched upon landing while several leaves rained down around him. Kojuro stood up with a smile upon his face, bowing politely towards his master. "I am your attendant, Masamune," Kojuro stated, "Do I need any other excuses ?"

Masamune scowled. "I have no need for your help, I can handle this on my own," he claimed.

Kojuro sighed. "You cannot win a battle without your allies," he stated, "And this battle is not yours to begin with."

Masamune scoffed. "You think I care about that ?"

"You should be wary of the consequences Masamune. Meddling in others affair could brought some harm for us in the future," Kojuro said.

"Are you going to stop me ?"

Kojuro shook his head. "A samurai must finish what he started."

Ever the learner, Kojuro stated his other reason with quite a glee. "Beside, this could be a most interesting battle. It's a rare chance for one such as me to witness firsthand the strategy of the cunning Masayuki Sanada."

Masamune sighed as he shook his head. The one-eyed dragon then made his way back to the main keep. "Do what you want Kojuro, but try not to stand in my way."

As Masamune left, Kojuro leaned against the tree. The sparrow from earlier were flying not far from him. "There is another reason though..." Kojuro stated as he allowed the sparrow to perched on his finger, "...a promise to be fulfilled."

0-0-0-0

_Kojuro Katakura was once a page of Terumune Date before he became Terumune's son, Masamune Date, personal attendant. Kojuro would soon become deeply trusted by his lord, and would accompany him on every battle. _

_Along with the mercenary Magoichi Saika, they sets out to unite Oshu under the Date's banner. However, this plan came to a halt when a twist of fate forced Masamune to kill his own father. This unexpected turn of event brought devastation to the entire clan. _

_One day, Magoichi received word that the Sanada clan was desperately seeking mercenary soldiers. Inviting the despairing Masamune to join him, the two sets out to assist the outnumbered Sanada._

_Even though Masamune had refused his help, Kojuro still went to Ueda castle to help the Sanada repel Ieyasu Tokugawa's massive army._

_Despite knowing the consequences of challenging a powerful clan such as the Tokugawa, Kojuro was determined to be on his master's side. Little did he know, that this would forever change his life..._

"_This battle would prove to be interesting."_

"_Chapter One, the Battle of Ueda Castle. Well then, it's time for the sparrow to soar."_

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><p>See ? I told you it would be short !<p>

(though I forgot to tell you that it would be crappy and lame TT^TT)

The last part of this chap is the "Chapter Opening" that you (for those who play the game anyway) might recognize every time you choose a stage in each character's story mode.

Anyway, don't forget to leave a review okay ? See you next week ^^


	2. The Battle of Ueda Castle: Events 1

**Pyromystic: **Tidak usah penasaran lagi, silakan anda nikmati XDD moga2 ngak mengecewakan TT^TT

**Mocca-Marocchi: **Err... not exactly _per se_. Masamune joins the battle as "mercenary", as does Kojuro. They don't have their army to back them up. You can know about this better if you visit the page (or the simpler method, play the game **nuked**). And unfortunately, the battle is in the next chap... and it's far from finished TT^TT

Here it is, the second chap of the Story Mode XDD

I kinda expected the low review =_= but I won't let this stop me !

This next chap consist of several short stories (in the case of this chap, 3), and every one of them related to the overall story. There would be some stories that were placed out of chronological order, but it would somewhat easy to spot... I think. Forgive me if any character were OOC, for it could be either accidental, unintended, for lack of better "research", or in purpose. Thus if you want to complain, show me the evidence and how should the character act (you could do it in the review or in PM).

I guess that is all, enjoy ^^

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><p>0-0-0-0<p>

**Of Mercenary and Ear Pulling**

While the others were preparing for tomorrow's battle, Magoichi's unit already finished with their preparation. The mercenary looks forward for the upcoming battle, hoping that it would finally snapped Masamune out of his griefs, but also because he heard that there is a "beautiful female general" amongst the Tokugawa ranks. While other people would be interested in knowing her strength and skill, Magoichi ignored those "boring stuff" and instead wondering if she could be his new- I mean, _another_ girlfriend. His flirtatious habit with the ladies have earned him some irks from both the ladies (usually what caused them to rejects him) and the men (mostly because he is flirting with _their_ girlfriend), but that doesn't stop him from trying his luck with the girls. In fact, many people thought that what Hideyoshi and him had in common is their behavior around women, though Hideyoshi had Nene to keep him in line.

As the mercenary took a stroll down the castle hall, he wondered how will the female general looks like. Rumor has it, she is the daughter of Tadakatsu Honda, and Magoichi hoped she inherited her mother's look. While he was busy with his daydreaming, a certain man just had a meeting with the lord of the castle, Masayuki Sanada, and is currently heading to the courtyard. Their path crossed in the hallway, and Magoichi was quite surprised to see the other.

"Magoichi-dono, it's a pleasure to meet you once more," Kojuro said with a smile. However, the smile was somewhat... "unsettling", to say the least.

"W-well, it's quite unexpected to see you here Kojuro-san-"

Before Magoichi could finished his sentence, Kojuro already closed the distance between them and pinched the mercenary's ear. What follows is a loud "OWW!" followed by several little "oww" from Magoichi as Kojuro pulled his ear and twisted it while lowering him down, essentially forcing Magoichi to kneel.

"Ow! What did I do ?" Magoichi asked.

Kojuro's expression were calm, if not deadpan, as he stated his reasons. "I can tolerate your presence on our clan despite the fact that you are a bad influence because I thought Masamune could use some new friend from outside the clan-"

"Bad influence ?" Magoichi protested, but Kojuro ignored him.

"-And I can tolerate your flirting to the women of our clan, including Megohime, because I know you didn't mean it seriously," Kojuro stated, only to twist Magoichi's ear even more.

"YOW! Something tells me that you are _not_ okay with it !"

Kojuro's expression turns into a glare so cold that Magoichi sworn he saw a blizzard around the sparrow's figure. "But what I can't understand is why do you brought Masamune along with you even when you know that this are not his battle ?" Kojuro said, "What do you think would happen if Masamune got killed ?"

As of now, Magoichi is bending at an awkward angle, and he was grateful that no one else was around. This embarrassing scene could cost him his luck with the ladies, and that it a fate worse than death. "Okay, okay !" Magoichi exclaimed, "I just thought that all Masamune needs is just a way to vent up all of his stress ! That's why I invited him to join me ! And for the record, he decided to join anyway !"

With that, Kojuro finally release Magoichi's ear, and the latter wondered if it would suddenly came off at any moment. Kojuro simply waited for Magoichi to stood up before he said. "Okay then, I will let this one go..." before Magoichi could sighed a breath of relieve, Kojuro point one finger, "_But_, if any harms befall Masamune on this battle..."

Magoichi gulped. "I will face Megohime's and the clan's wrath, am I ?"

While the irk of a clan is "unpleasant" enough, it is not enough when compared to Megohime's wrath. Even Masamune were not willing to be at the receiving end of it. However, the outcome apparently came with a third option.

"Nope, you will be at the receiving end of my fury," Kojuro said before he flashed a smile, "I'll make sure you live long enough through the punishment to reflect on your mistake."

Magoichi was left speechless while Kojuro continues on to the courtyard. Eventually, the Saika mercenary scratched his head as he sighed. "Masamune were right... he is quite troublesome," Magoichi said, "I'm glad he's on my side..."

0-0-0-0

**Of Samurai and Peasant**

While observing the Hojo-Tokugawa armies movement from outside the town, Kojuro and Yukimura stopped by a field. Kojuro knelt beside it to inspect the rice. It was not ripe for harvest. "What a shame, these crops would have been enough to feed the town for more than a year," Kojuro lamented.

"It is, but it is a necessary move to ensure the survival of the Sanada," Yukimura said.

Kojuro stood up, patting his clothes to get rid of the dust. "I know, however you mustn't forget about the people as well. After all, without them we won't last for more than a week. Give or take three days."

Yukimura blinked. "Why is that ?"

"There is no country without it's people, and there is no leader without his land," Kojuro began, "The peasant earn our protection in exchange for taxes, and the samurai, such as us, needs the food they gave to us."

Kojuro turned at Yukimura. "Therefore, one must remember to to treat those of inferior class, for they play an important role, whether it is minor or not. Failed to do that and... well, let's just say that their ruling days won't last long."

"I see," Yukimura said, "Now I know why your men called you 'Kagetsuna the wise', not just because of your brilliance in the battlefield, but your wisdom in politics as well."

Kojuro chuckled. "Magoichi and Masamune must have told you about my nickname," he stated, "But I hardly deserves that tittle. After all, I myself still needs to learn more about the world around me..."

"Yukimura-sama !"

Kojuro and Yukimura turned around to see Kunoichi waving at them from the town's gate. "Come on ! Dinner's ready ! You better come quick before they eat it all !" Kunoichi said before she disappeared behind the walls. Kojuro and Yukimura looked at each other before they walked back to the castle. "Do you think there would be anything left for us ?" Kojuro asked.

Yukimura shook his head. "No, Keiji-dono have a large appetite, and most of our men is a big eater as well, especially my brother."

"Then why are we still walking ?" Kojuro said. With that, both men sprint towards the castle, hoping that there's still some grain of rice left for them.

…. but there's nothing left when they get there.

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**The Promise under the Moonlight**

On the night before the decisive battle, Ueda castle falls into silence. Most of the warriors had went to sleep in order to preserve their strength for tomorrow's battle with the exception of those who stood guard. Kojuro, who is a light-sleeper to begin with, decided to admire the tranquil night. Sitting on the walkway facing the courtyard, Kojuro closed his eyes in concentration as he played his flute. The notes he played is calm and graceful, fitting perfectly with the midnight atmosphere. Branches of the willow tree in the garden sway from the gentle breeze. Moonlight shone through the leaves and branches, and carps on the pond swam around the moon's reflection. The melody of Kojuro's flute drifted into the night under the stars above.

As he played, Kojuro barely notices Masamune coming towards him. The youth stopped beside Kojuro, waiting for the latter to notice him. Kojuro does, and he stop playing while still keeping his eyes closed. "Couldn't sleep ?" Kojuro asked.

"Not in the mood," Masamune replied before he sat beside Kojuro.

"Lack of sleep won't do you any good for tomorrow's battle."

"Speak for yourself, you're the one playing flute in the middle of the night."

The two spent a moment in silence observing their surroundings. Crickets could be heard chirping not far away from where they were. Eventually, Masamune broke the silence with a question. "Kojuro, why are you really here ? You must have other reason to follow me here..."

Kojuro was momentarily taken aback by the question, but his surprise doesn't last for long. Kojuro looked at the moon above, having a reminiscence of the day he made his promise. '_On that day, the moon shone just as brightly as it is now..._'

– – – –

_Observing the moon outside, Terumune Date, father of Masamune Date, stood just outside his chamber while Kojuro remains seated in seiza position behind him. The older man sighed. "Kojuro, you should have realized by now that Masamune is just as ambitious as the other warlords such as Nobunaga Oda, and have a dream that is beyond the imagination of the common folk," Terumune stated._

_Kojuro nodded, even though Terumune had his back on him. "Yes I have. In fact, that's the reason why he got along well with Magoichi-dono."_

_Terumune chuckled. "Indeed, he is lucky to have friends such as you and the others. However, I can't be with him forever. Masamune is ambitious, but I don't know whether he knew what his ambition is."_

_Kojuro bowed at Terumune. "There is no need to worry, my lord. I promise that I will support Masamune, all the while keeping true to my ideals. And when his ambition is realized, we shall celebrate with a feast under the cherry blossoms."_

"_If it's your words, then I believe that it will came true,"Terumune smiled, "I'll be looking forward to that."_

– – – –

Unfortunately, Terumune didn't survive to see that day. But that doesn't deter Kojuro from fulfilling his promise to the late Terumune Date. No matter what's the obstacle that stands in their way or wherever he is, Kojuro will not break any one of his words. Even if it means opposing his master.

"I made a promise to a departed friend, and I intent on keeping it," Kojuro reply.

"Another promise huh ? I hope you didn't make one that you couldn't keep," Masamune said, "So, what is it about anyway ?"

Kojuro smiled. "I'll tell you all about it," Kojuro stood up, "When we return to Oshu."

Masamune is not to pleased with the answer, and continue to follow Kojuro. The sparrow however, is stubborn, and wouldn't give a proper answer to Masamune. Eventually, Masamune gave up, and the two of them returns to their respective room to conserve their energy for the upcoming battle.

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><p>That is all for this week, I'll see you next time ^^<p>

Don't forget to leave a review XDD


	3. The Battle of Ueda Castle

**Pyromystic: **Aku senang kalau senpai suka dgn cerita2 pendeknya... tapi, emang apa ide yang senpai dapat ? .

Please forgive me for the late update, it is because my laptop suddenly have problems with the power so I can't finishes and update this chapter.

To pay for my mistakes, I will also includes two additional "Story Mode" for Nobuyuki Sanada and Yoshitsugu Otani, my two newest "Sem-OC" (My OC-version for NPC or historical figures, Kojuro is one of them) along with this chap and the fourth chapter of Kojuro's SM. When I finished ER (of which the newest chapter should be up two weeks from now) I will continue the SM with the most reviews. The new SM will only covers the Prologue though...

That's all I have to say, I hope you enjoy this chap ^^

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><p><strong>The Battle of Ueda Castle<strong>

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><strong>

As wave after wave of Tokugawa war banners marching into the town of Ueda castle, Ieyasu can't help but to smile from his main camp at the Southern Garrison. With his hands crossed behind his back, Ieyasu observed the battle. The number and advantages is on his side, and his men had overtook the town. Victory is near, but he can't afford to be careless, for his opponent is none other than the cunning Masayuki Sanada. "We finally have the manpower to fight back. Come on men, Victory is near !"

On the Ueda castle second ward, the men of Sanada struggles to keep the gate shut as soldiers from Tokugawa attempts to break in. While some pushed against the gate, the others prepares their weapons in preparation. The gate rumbles for one last time before a final push let the wooden structure crumbling down. Blue and black armor pour into the ground of the second ward, and the Sanada army clash with their enemies. Battle cries can be heard throughout the castle ground, along with the sound of metal clashing and bodies falling into the moat. Amidst the chaos, Masayuki calmly walked to his balcony. From the main keep, he he have a clear view of the battlefield. The shrewd Masayuki chuckled. "Ieyasu... so you've finally come," Masayuki said."The battlefield is under our control. Plans are already in place should they be necessary."

The gate leading to the main keep is forced open, and the enemy forces, led by Mototada Torii, fight their way to claim Masayuki's head. The Sanada resistance is seemingly futile, as the Tokugawa easily cut through them. There is just one more gate left before the keep, located across the bridge. The Hojo-Tokugawa morale is high as they pushed on, ready to claim their victory. However...

"Alright boys. Ready for a challenge ?"

Keiji twirled his pike above his head with one hand before slamming it to the bridge, creating a noise loud enough to stop the enemies in their path. There were several other Sanada soldiers behind Keiji, but the Kabukimono presence is quite enough to intimidate his enemies. Eventually, they charged at Keiji. Their stupidest and final mistake...

Keiji punches one of the oncoming soldiers, sending him flying through his allies. He then spins around with spear held firm, slashing the other soldiers around him before he twirls it in the air and slam the spear, weight first, into the ground to create a shockwave that blows away his opponents. Knowing that they would have no chance in close-quarter combat against the famed Keiji Maeda, Mototada orders a riflemen unit to steps forward. They took position before the bridge, close enough for a clear shot at Keiji, who were busy with the soldiers around him (or just having way too much fun to notice). Before they could pull the trigger, Yukimura leaps over the soldiers on the bridge and dashed upon landing to delivers a spin slash upon the riflemen, scattering them in a single swing of his spear.

Wasting no time, Yukimura stabs an enemy and lift him over his head. Yukimura then smashed him into the ground, the force of the blow were sufficient enough to knocked the soldier back into the air while his allies were knocked back. The young warrior of Sanada twirls his spear to deflected his opponents attack, before he countered with a single swing from his right. Yukimura continues his assault, slashing his foes as he drive them back. After defeating another opponent, Yukimura charges away from the bridge, only to find himself staring against multiple barrels of rifles. Yukimura were too far away from them as the riflemen opens fire, but an energy barrier, formed by 5 paper charms, stops the bullets in it's track.

After Yukimura is safe, Kanetsugu Naoe calls his charms back as he joins the fray. Kanetsugu slashes several soldiers who stood in his way with his swords, not even bothering to use his charms. After he gain some distance away from the bridge, Kanetsugu found himself surrounded by the Tokugawa soldiers. Kanetsugu could see the hesitation in their eyes as they point their swords and spears at him. They decides to charge together, and Kanetsugu all too easily thwarts their attempts as if he were swatting flies. He make his charms spins around him, shredding those who were coming too close. Then, Kanetsugu stabs the ground with his swords, firing energy beams from his charms. Thanks to the efforts of these three warriors, not a single one of the Tokugawa forces manages to even cross the bridge alive. This causes their morale to fall dramatically, and Masayuki decides that it is time to spring the trap.

"It is time! Fire the arrows!"

Upon orders, several dozens groups of archers reveal themselves throughout the second ward, having been in hiding ever since the start of the battle. Taken by surprise, the enemy forces were unprepared for the arrows that rained upon them. Panic and disorder amongst the Tokugawa forces, making them an easy targets for the Sanada. "Now! Repel the enemy forces!"

With the archers appearance, keeping orders amongst the Tokugawa soldiers is almost impossible. Some of the soldiers already ran away in fear, and now Mototada Torii is considering his options to retreat. Before he could do so however, he heard the sound of a sword being drawn from it's sheath. He turned around just in time to receive a single slash from Kojuro Katakura. As Mototada falls, Kojuro swiped his sword, Suzume. "Luring the enemy to the castle for an ambush, impressive..." Kojuro said, "Now then, what other tricks does Masayuki Sanada have in his sleeve ?"

Yukimura slashed another soldiers of the Tokugawa. "The enemy is flatfooted. We must take this chance to drive them back!" Yukimura exclaimed to rally his allies, and all of them respond with a loud battle cry as they charges upon their enemies. Kojuro followed suit, twirling Suzume once as he calmly walks towards the enemies.

Kanetsugu threw several exploding charms at his enemy, blasting them away and thus giving him enough room to slash several oncoming enemy with his sword. The character for "love" (愛) on his helmet gleam from the sunlight as his blade made contact with his opponent. Kanetsugu blocks an attack from one of Tokugawa vassal, Tadayo Okubo, engaging him in a dead lock. Another soldiers take the chance to attack Kanetsugu from behind. As the soldier raised his sword for an overhead chop, Kojuro jumps over the man and flips in order to slash him upside down in midair. Kojuro landed behind Kanetsugu, who had just won the deadlock by blasting Tadayo away with his paper charms. The two warrior stood back to back, anticipating attacks from the enemies around them.

"Kanetsugu-dono, I've heard that you doesn't like war. What brings you to this battle ?"

"Ieyasu tries to take this land by force. The Uesugi simply cannot tolerate this act of thievery," Kanetsugu said, putting up a barrier to block an attack before countering it with a slash of his sword.

Kojuro blocked an attack with his sword, which he then separate so he were able to counter with the other half. "Really ? But other lords expands their influence by doing the same thing. Does that make them a thief as well ?"

"So this is why they wanted to lure us inside," Ieyasu stated when he heard the reports from a messenger, "There's nothing else for it. Withdraw the front line units to outside the castle."

After the order was issued, the Tokugawa forces inside the castle wastes no time in falling back. But, Masayuki won't let them ran away so easily...

"Set fire to the castle surrounds! Don't let them get away!"

On cue, Kunoichi and Yoritsuna Yazawa make their appearance on the town. Kunoichi on the Southern District while Yoritsuna in the Eastern district. "Okay! Let's burn them up!" Kunoichi ordered. With that, both units set fires to the straws they had placed earlier before, setting the entire town ablaze. With the weather condition, the fire turns into a raging inferno within minutes.

Much to the Tokugawa surprises, flames ignited on the buildings around them. The fire burns brightly, the smokes reached the sky due to the straws and oil placed inside the house. With the Sanada behind them, and the flames around them, the Tokugawa forces who were unfortunate enough to be inside the town immediately falls into a state of utter panics. Most of the soldiers scatters away in search of an escape route, some of which ends up succumbing to the smokes and flames. The others manages to find a way out, but their retreat were hindered by the pursuing Sanada. "The enemy front line has collapsed, we have a chance to push them back," Kanetsugu said.

"First things first though, we must take the town back from the enemy's hand," Kojuro said.

Knowing that speed is of the essence, Kojuro whistles for his mount. Within moments, the white horse named **Yumetsuki **comes galloping towards his master. Yumetsuki doesn't even slow down as he headed towards Kojuro, who simply grabbed hold of the rein while jumping to Yumetsuki's saddle. "It's time for us to make our move. Let's go, Yumetsuki," Kojuro said as they dashed into the burning Southern District.

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Thick black pillars of smoke rises from the town surrounding Ueda castle and into the heavens above as the fire rages on. Even the brave men from Mikawa scrambled to escape their opponents fiery vengeance (pun intended). For Sanada warriors and allies positioned outside the town, the burning town is the signal to begin their march.

"Do you see the flames ? That's our signal!" Magoichi said to Masamune as the latter mounted his horse, a fine breed of Persian Mare.

"I know that! I do not need you telling me what to do," Masamune exclaimed. Soon, he, along with Magoichi and Nobuyuki Sanada, moved out towards the Eastern District in order to recapture it and drive away their enemies. They were joined by Keiji Maeda and Kanetsugu Naoe, who marches out from the castle while Yukimura went to follow Kojuro into the Southern District.

For Kojuro, the remaining Tokugawa men in the Southern District was not the only problem at hand. Heat from the flames and thick smokes emanating from the burning buildings obscured his path, and he had several close calls ever since he ventures into the district. Aside from the limited range of vision, the hazardous surroundings also unnerves his mount. Yumetsuki might be a loyal and brave steed, but no horse can stay calm when they were facing a raging inferno. Struggling to keep him calm, Kojuro were determined to get out from there as soon as possible. While the Sanada was familiar with their territory, Kojuro was not. Loosing his way means certain death, a slow and torturous one. However when he nearly reached the exit, Kojuro had to dodge an arrow aimed at his head. Looking to his left, he saw a female warrior with bow in her hand and a quiver on her back. She drew her bow as she aimed at Kojuro, her focus and concentration unwavering even with the chaos around her.

Sun Tzu once said: "If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat". That is part of the reason why Kojuro was reluctant to let Masamune fight this battle. As a strategist, he know that fighting against the Tokugawa-Hojo army without fully understanding their strength is a great risk, though fortunately Masayuki's tactics had managed to turn the odds in their favor. However, he doesn't know about his current opponent's abilities other than her superb aim and concentration, but there was no time to worry about it. Ina releases an arrow at Kojuro, who slashed it in mid-flight before he galloped towards her. Not wanting to risk hurting Yumetsuki, Kojuro jumped off from his saddle and dashed across the rooftops towards Ina.

Once she is in range, Kojuro immediately leaped towards her as she releases another arrow that narrowly missed him. Kojuro swung his sword down upon her, but Ina dodges it as she prepares more arrows. She shoots three arrows at Kojuro from point-blank range, and he only avoids death by smacking her bow to disrupt her aim. Kojuro resumed with a slash, which Ina blocks with her bow. Splitting his dual sword, Kojuro swung the other halves towards her only to be blocked when she simply twist her bow. Their blades locked, and both combatants struggles to overcome one another all the while enduring the raging inferno around them. "We have the upper hand, so why do you continue to resist ?" Ina asked.

"True, but the tide of war had turned, and now we have a chance to win," Kojuro said as he pushed his blades, "Be that as it may, but you won't defeat us that easily."

"Maybe so, but we too still have a chance at winning this battle! For my lord, I will not give up!"

Ina breaks the deadlock by twisting her bow before jumping backwards. She fires several arrows at Kojuro as the latter ran up to her. Cutting down the arrows in mid-flight, Kojuro quickly closed the distance as he slam his sword at her. Parrying the attack, Ina counters with a slash that cuts Kojuro's cheek before kicking him away. Ina press the attack, and the two continues their bout amongst the burning district. Eventually, Kojuro got the upper hand when he manages to cut Ina's arrows that were stored in her quiver. He then follows with a complex yet graceful move to disarmed Ina. As the bow landed several feet away from both combatants, Ina finds herself being held at sword point. After a tense moment, Ina regained her composure enough to asked Kojuro. "What are you waiting for ?"

Kojuro smiled. "There is no need to kill you," he stated as he sheathed his sword, "And you are in no condition to continue the fight anyway."

Knowing the truth behind Kojuro's words, Ina retreats. She falls back with the rest of the Tokugawa soldiers as they escape the burning district. Kojuro sighed before he whistled into the air. "Well then, it's time to wrap this up," Kojuro said.

Not a minute pass before Yumetsuki ran towards Kojuro. Without even turning around, the sparrow somersault back, landing right on the saddle of his mount. Kojuro then galloped away from the raging inferno and into the fields outside, where the battle rages on...

0-0-0-0

At the Hojo camp, Ujiyasu observed the battle, analyzing every movement and strategy used by both sides. The Lion of Sagami knew that Masayuki Sanada is not an opponent to be trifled with, which is the reason why he held back his forces for the moment. Ieyasu however, was sure that victory is already in his hand and ordered a full-assault. The fact that Ieyasu falls into their trap is of no surprise to him.

Ujiyasu smokes from his clay pipe before calmly exhales it. The smokes dispersed into the air, to be carried away by the wind. The Lion of Sagami sighed. "Old Ieyasu really has fallen on hard times if he can't take this little castle."

Ujiyasu stood up, then goes to his soldiers. The black-clad warriors of the Hojo had patiently awaits Ujiyasu's order ever since the beginning of this battle, and now is the time for them to join the fray. "I guess I could help an old friend out in his time of need," Ujiyasu said as he issued the order to march.

Heavy gates of the Eastern and Southeastern Garrisons creaked open, and hundreds of soldiers marches out, the Hojo war banner fluttering in the wind. With a synchronized steps, their advance were not left unheard by their enemies. Spears and swords poised as the infantry goes first to cover the rifle units. By now, all of the Tokugawa warriors has retreated, and both Hojo and Sanada forces clashed on the battlefield. Witnessing the clash between the enemies and his allies, Kanetsugu tightened his grip on his sword. "The Hojo have made their move!"

"That Ieyasu... He's even dragged in the Hojo," Magoichi said.

With his Sasumata pike resting over his shoulder, Keiji were noticeably calmer than his companion. In fact, one might say that he is enjoying the prospect of the enemy reinforcement. "The more the merrier, I say."

Looking at the opposing forces, Masamune scoffed as he twirled his pistols. "Ujiyasu is an old man, he is no threat to me."

"It is unwise to underestimate your opponent, but I suppose we should get rid of him before it is too late..." Kojuro stated.

Once again, Masamune's recklessness got the better of him as he goes directly to Ujiyasu himself, cutting down anyone that stood in his path. There were five dangerous faults that may affect a general, and one of them is recklessness, which leads to destruction. Many times have Kojuro reminded Masamune about this particular passage from The Art of War, but the youth, more often than not, doesn't heed it. A cold stare was what Kojuro gave to Magoichi when the latter chuckled over Masamune's behavior. "See ? I told you Masamune only needs a little action to get over his grief," said Magoichi.

Kojuro sighed. "You have proven your point, I admitted it... but that doesn't mean you are off the hook."

As they went to follow Masamune, Magoichi's only reply was that of a nervous laugh.

Unlike most warlords of the time, Ujiyasu Hojo is not the type to just sit down while his men does all the dirty work. Instead, he mostly goes with them to the frontline. This act gave him the complete loyalty from his subjects, and they were willing to die in order to protect him. However, it also means that Ujiyasu is putting himself as an easy target, a fact quickly proven when Masamune charged towards him with gun blazing. Unfortunately for Masamune, Ujiyasu is not your typical warlord.

Once Masamune is within range, Ujiyasu shoots a round from his cane, momentarily stunning Masamune. Once that is down, he thrust his cane at Masamune, knocking the boy away. Masamune rebounds and charges again at Ujiyasu, this time with his sword. Masamune's sword was stopped by Ujiyasu's cane, and the two struggles to gain dominance over their opponent. But for Masamune, it was a losing battle.

"You aren't a Sanada, are you ? There's something different about you."

"What do you care ? Just shut up and die already!" Masamune exclaimed.

"I'm afraid I can't do that kid," Ujiyasu replied.

Ujiyasu gave one more push, breaking the deadlock before connecting the attack with a headbutt. Dazed, Masamune were easily sent flying with a single backhand blow from Ujiyasu. Before he could get very far, Kojuro already catches the one-eyed dragon as Magoichi fires several rounds as he advances towards Ujiyasu. Guarding against the volley with his cane, Ujiyasu dashed and smack his cane at Magoichi. Then with one mighty heave, the Lion of Sagami easily throws Magoichi into the air.

Before Magoichi falls back to the ground, Kojuro already continues the assault. When his slash were blocked by Ujiyasu's cane, Kojuro split his sword and attack again with a stroke from the other halves. Ujiyasu responds to the challenge by drawing his cane sword and guard against the attack. Before Kojuro could react, Ujiyasu already kick him in the gut. This attack however, left him vulnerable before Masamune's and Magoichi's bullets. Distracted by the volleys, Ujiyasu failed to defend himself against a follow-up attack from Kojuro. The Sparrow cut through Ujiyasu's defense on an upward stroke follows by a single horizontal stroke that sends an energy wave at Ujiyasu. To finish it off, Masamune jumps to fire an explosive shot.

Caught by the blast, Ujiyasu skids away several feet before he finally stops. The nearby Hojo forces, with their leader defeated, have lost most of their morale. Seeing the condition of his men, Ujiyasu decided that defeat is inevitable. As he turned to leave, the Lion of Sagami left a parting advice. "War leaves scars that do not heal, and pain that never fades," Ujiyasu said, "You must try to find a path that does not involve the loss of lives."

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"Excellent! Carry on, and claim the head of Ieyasu!"

With victory at hand, the Sanada advances in an all out attack to finishes off Ieyasu. Their forces cut down anyone who stood in their path, and the remaining Tokugawa soldiers barely able to stand their ground in order to protect their lord. With his enemies closing in, Ieyasu was distraught over the sudden turn of event. "Our units laying siege to the castle have been wiped out!" Ieyasu said, "I have no idea the Sanada were still this powerful."

Some of the Sanada forces advances from the Southern district and into Ieyasu's main camp. At that point, the Southern Garrison's gates opened, and the triumph and glory in their faces turns into that of fear and despair upon the sight of the mightiest samurai in all Japan...

"You have fought with deception, and it has been effective... until now."

The mighty blade of Tonbo-giri, the sharpest spear in all the land, glistened under the sun as Tadakatsu Honda emerges from the Southern Garrison. His very presence is enough to made the Sanada forces balks, stopping them in their tracks. Tadakatsu swung his spear before striking one end to the ground. "Your strategy is meaningless before my might!"

Leading the remaining Tokugawa forces, Tadakatsu advances straight to Masayuki Sanada. Soldiers who tried to stop him quickly became a victim to Tonbo-Giri. Knowing this, the Sanada vassals and their allies move to intercept Japan's most powerful warrior.

On the other side of the battlefield, Kojuro, Masamune and Magoichi received words of Tadakatsu's advance. Magoichi already goes to assist, but Kojuro stops Masamune before he could follow. "Tadakatsu-dono is too powerful, and our forces are thin from the start, it is not wise to prolonged the battle by taking him head on," Kojuro said, "We must end this battle immediately."

"Then we should strike Ieyasu now while he is still defenseless!" Masamune exclaimed, "Are you with me, Kojuro ?"

Kojuro nodded. "Of course, I am your servant after all."

On the Tokugawa main camp, Ieyasu's hope for victory was renewed with Tadakatsu's advance. If they could claim the head of the enemy commander, then victory would be theirs for the taking. But, Ieyasu were still distraught over the turn of event. "We had a clear advantage. How could we allow it to slip away like this ?"

"True, you had the advantages. But you have already lost the battle when you start to underestimate your enemy while overestimating your own."

Ieyasu turned around and saw his sentries cut down by Masamune and Kojuro. Taking his spear cannon, Ieyasu prepared himself for battle. "I hope you are aware of the ramifications of making me your enemy," Ieyasu warned as he charges with his soldiers.

Kojuro sighed as he twirled his swords once. "I am, and I have prepared for the consequences of our action."

Ieyasu opens fire as his men rushes towards Kojuro while Masamune returns fire. Ieyasu's cannon is troublesome, as it is hard to be blocked. Fortunately, it has a low firing rate, slow enough for Kojuro and Masamune to dodges it. Masamune slip past Ieyasu's attacks and strike at him, only to miss and got blasted at point-blank range. The one-eyed dragon recovers, but he finds himself surrounded by Ieyasu's men. Ieyasu took aim at Masamune, but was forced to defend himself when Kojuro attacked. The experiences and skills that Ieyasu possessed made him more than capable in defending himself. But in the end, Kojuro's technique and agility gave him the better odds. Kojuro cut through Ieyasu's defense in an upward stroke, before splitting his sword to disarmed the Mikawa warrior. Kojuro then slashed with both halves, finally defeating the leader of the Tokugawa. Clutching his wounds as he struggles to stood up, Ieyasu realized that it is futile to continue the battle. "The enemy's determination has overcome our numerical advantage. Fall back!"

As the Tokugawa forces withdraw, Masamune and Kojuro sheathed their weapons. Kojuro noticed how Masamune looks more spirited than before, and wondered if what Magoichi said is true. "Do you still need more time to handle your grief ?" Kojuro asked.

At Kojuro's question, Masamune scoffs. "I can't let my father die in vain by grieving! I will take his place, then I shall unify the entire land under my banner!"

Kojuro smiled. "I am pleased to hear it, my lord."

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><p>...and that's it for the Stage's battle. The next two chaps would be events and Epilogue for Chapter One.<p>

I have mixed feelings about this chap, mostly because the writing style kept changing =_=

The truth is, I have difficulties in describing the battle, or any action scenes for that matter, since I am confused on whether I should go for the slightest bit of realism or just put some of the gameplay to the story like the "officer defeated" part (notice how most of the defeated playable characters has an awkward "exit"). I also wondered how to properly end the battle, since it sometimes ends with a conversation between two characters or more, hence the awkward ending of this chapter.

In the end, I don't know whether to write it like retelling a stage from the game or write it like ER...

1) In this fic, when it is about Kojuro, "single sword" means that his weapon is in one piece. "both halves" or "one half" means his weapon has been separated into two halves. The same goes for "sword" and "swords".

**Yumetsuki (****夢の月****): **Yume no Tsuki, it literally means "Moon of Dream"

I shall be waiting for your review ^^ (on all four separate chapters I update/publish XDDD **nuked) **


	4. The Battle of Ueda Castle: Events 2

Now that the battle is done, it is time for the second Events of Stage One XDD I experimented in some of the stories like the first one (for flashback) and the second one (for humor XDD). I would appreciate it if you tell me which one was your favorite ^^

Note: The third entry in this chapter took place before the beginning of the SM. I didn't know anything about Masamune's early campaign so I took some liberty in making it. You could skip it if you want since it doesn't have any impact to the plot other than dwelling into Kojuro's ability. That story was also based on the request from **Pyromystic**, hope I didn't disappoint you TT^TT

Enjoy your reading ^^

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><p>0-0-0-0<p>

**First Meeting**

"Masamune ?"

"What ?"

"Do you remember when we first met ?" Kojuro asked. They were on their way back from a victorious battle against the Ashina clan. The journey was a bit silent, and the view was uninteresting, even though Kojuro found everything around them to be either interesting or inspirational. Kojuro is quite good with art and music, however his poetry still needs some practice (as Masamune's cousin, Shigezane Date, bluntly stated: "A child who never even touch a brush could make a better poetry"). However, Masamune never expected Kojuro to asked that question. It does made him somewhat nostalgic though.

"A little, but it is a bit blurry," Masamune reply.

Kojuro chuckled as he pace his horse, Yumetsuki, so that he and Masamune were side by side. "Well, I remember it like it was yesterday. Truth to be told, it is hard not to remember it..."

– – – –

_ Before he entered the room, a young and inexperienced Kojuro Katakura breathe in and out to calm his nerve. He were the junior page of Terumune Date, but the leader of the clan decided to introduce Kojuro to his future lord, which is his son, Masamune Date. Kojuro had wondered about the decision, but Terumune had told him that Masamune could someday use an attendant who is closer to his age. _

_ After a servant allowed Kojuro to enter, Kojuro went in and politely bow before Terumune. Sitting near Terumune is none other than a young Masamune, only two years younger than Kojuro, whom curiously kept rubbing his right eye. _

_'_He's around my age huh ? I wonder if we would get along well..._' Kojuro pondered. He bowed once again at Masamune to introduce himself. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lord," Kojuro said, "My(1) name is-"_

"_Dad(2), who is the girl ?" _

_At Masamune's innocent(?) question, the room went into a state of awkward silence while Kojuro froze, still in bowing position(3). '_G-girl ?_' Kojuro thought, '_Some people do said that my face is a bit feminine, but I did _not_ look like a girl !...am I ?_' _

_Terumune seems to be surprised by the question as well. "Masamune, Kojuro is not a girl. And he(4) will be your servant in the future-"_

"_But I don't want a girl as my servant ! Beside, she(4) is weird," Masamune said. Which is another stab on Kojuro's heart._

_'_Weird ?_' Kojuro thought. Masamune was referring to Kojuro's clothing (a simple kimono and hakama, with white haori and scarf. Not something that would be worn by a girl so Masamune considers it to be "weird") and personal pronouns (since Masamune considers it to be too formal, thus annoying)._

_'Beside, why do I have to be served with an idiot like her ?" Masamune asked again, and thus throwing another dagger to poor Kojuro's heart. _

_'_I-idiot ?_' Kojuro thought. By now, he is almost on the edge of tears(5). _

_It took a while before the misunderstanding clears up, but in the end, Masamune finally accepts Kojuro as his servant._

– – – –

"Now that I thinkof it, you haven't change much since then," Kojuro stated, "You still utter your opinion without a second thought."

Masamune grumbled to himself. "Why do you even bothering remembering such a trivial event anyway ?"

A moment after that, Masamune noticed something as well. "But, you haven't change as well, Kojuro," he stated, "You are still girly looking idiot !"

Kojuro were wide-eyed at the statement, and he stuttered as Masamune's horse suddenly went into a sprint. Kojuro immediately directs Yumetsuki to catch up with Masamune, protesting as he does so. "I am not girly Masamune, I am not !"

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**Of Napping and Sparrows**

It was a bright and peaceful day, with clear skies and just enough clouds to provide some shades. There were neither invasion to repel nor battle to be fought, so most officers of the Date used this chance to either improve their skills, hunting, or any other kind of activity. Kojuro choose to inspect the land, and he was pleased to see that they would have a bountiful harvest. Eventually, the pleasant weather made Kojuro sleepy, and he decided to rest under the shade of a tree. He sat, leaning against the tree as he watched the farmer does their works on the field.

When Kojuro closed his eyes, it doesn't take very long before he eventually falls asleep. Kojuro breathe more slowly when he naps, so much that one can barely heard it and often thought that he was dead. That had led to more than one unfortunate (but hilarious for some others) events. As Kojuro slept, a pair of sparrows flew above him. They descended and hover around Kojuro, before they left. Some times later, they came back with some twigs in their beak...

… later that day.

"Masamune... Megohime-dono... could one of you please stop laughing for a moment and help me ?"

Kojuro's plea was in vain because Masamune was too busy laughing, and even Megohime couldn't help but to giggle. Kojuro was grateful because Magoichi had left for a while, because the mercenary won't be anymore helpful than Masamune and Megohime. Once again, Kojuro rue the day when he decided to take a nap outside his own room. Because this time, a pair of sparrows had decided to build a nest on top of his head.

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**The Sparrow's First Flight**

"What, retreat ? You came all this way just to tell us to retreat ?"

Bowing respectfully before the entire Ashina officers that has invade their lands, Date retainer Kojuro Katakura had asked them to retreat, a peaceful solution to end the current skirmish. An unexpected storm had cost the Date forces under Kojuro their supplies, and the nearby village can't do much to help them. All they could give was the water they obtained from the river, and while it quench their thirst, Kojuro's men is low on morale due to being outnumbered and no supplies.

"My men are exhausted, and the locals are low on supplies. It would be wise to end this battle peacefully to prevent further bloodshed," Kojuro stated. The Ashina officers all laughed, for they find the idea of retreating before an army that is in the verge of defeat. Also, the Date retainer before them is a rookie that was unheard of till now, leading them to believe that Kojuro is a coward who can't fight. "No wonder Ouchi Sadatsuna defected to us!(6) The Date are filled with pathetic loser, especially that one-eyed fool," one of the officer stated, causing more laughter to erupt, "Keep your pathetic demands to yourself! We will take that land from your incapable hand!"

Kojuro bowed once more. "Please reconsider my lord," he pleaded, "For if we fought, both sides would lose many of their men."

Kojuro's plea falls on deaf ears, and the Ashina clan morale is all time high. They prepares for the final attack as Kojuro returns to the main camp...

– – –

"That idiot... this is his first battle and he ask _them_ to surrender ?"

"Because of him, the Ashina morale rise rapidly. They would surely stomped us to dust."

"What should we do ? Surviving this battle is impossible, let alone winning it..."

Those were some of the complains amongst the Date officers after Kojuro returned. Some of the retainers have the same complain, but nevertheless they held on and decided to follow Kojuro's command, albeit bitterly. Kojuro Katakura was sent here in order to test his skills, and Shigezane Date accompanies him. Their initial plan was to hold out until Masamune arrives with the main army, but a sudden storm occurred last night, and the damages it brought caught both sides unprepared. Even so, the Ashina forces still have enough supplies from their reinforcement, and their numbers were now larger than the Date. Even worse, the storm slowed Masamune's advance, and Shigezane worries that their main army will came long after they were gone.

Now the front line officers is in chaos as they discussed their next move. Some claimed that they should retreat, costing the Date a piece of their land in the process, while others claim that they should fight to the last man. Finally, Shigezane himself proposed a night attack to catch the Ashina off-guard. Even so, the decision ultimately falls on Kojuro. As everyone looked at him in anticipation, Shigezane felt a bit unnerved by Kojuro's serene behavior. Kojuro studies the map in front of him, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. After a tense moment, a sentry came and announces the arrival of the village elder. At that moment, Kojuro rise up and gave his reply that shocks everyone there. "Let them come," Kojuro said.

All of the retainers were at lost for words as Kojuro left the tent to meet the village elder. After he does, nearly every one of them had lost hopes for Kojuro, convinced that he is leading them to death. Including Shigezane.

– – –

Not a week past before the Ashina finishes their preparation for an attack, and they could care less about the main force of the Date, whom were still days away from arriving. Low on morale, the Date nevertheless went to meet their opponent on the battlefield. This time, Kojuro walks beside his horse, Yumetsuki, instead of riding him. No one could tell what's the sparrow is thinking, but most of them could care less, for this could be the final battle they participate in.

The two enemy come face-to-face with only a shallow stream separating them. The river is waist deep, but the Ashina had cavalries. That depth is of no concern for them. As they prepares for battle, Kojuro asked one of the archer to fire a signal arrows to start the battle. The use of traditional ritual of starting a battle baffles everyone, but it was shrugged moments later.

"At least he is polite enough to tell us when he is ready to die," the leader of the Ashina army stated before he brought down his sword, "Charge!"

The Ashina forces began their march while the Date hold their ground. Most of them were ready to run, but other were determined to fight as they drew their weapons. However, Shigezane was confused at Kojuro, who barely even touch the hilt of his dual sword. "Kojuro, just what are you planning now ?" Shigezane asked.

Kojuro's only reply was to observed the river upstream. "Any moment now..."

By now, most of the Ashina forces had gone halfway through the stream. Within minutes, they would crossed the river and finishes off the Date. Victory is almost at their hands... but their face of glory turns into that of curiosity and confusion when a rushing voice was heard. Then it turns to fear once the realization sets in...

"It is time to turn the tide of this battle," Kojuro stated, "and swept our enemy of their feet."

As if it was commanded, a sudden flood occurred and immediately turns the shallow stream into a raging river that swept most of the Ashina forces away. However the current then slowed down just enough for the cavalry units to cross... only for their horses to fall when their legs slipped into one of many holes dug across the river bed. Covered with a lid and some stones, these holes were nearly invisible unless one looked at it from up close. Kojuro had timed the events so that both sides began the battle when the sun were at the right angle. The reflections on the water surface masked the traps even further, and now the currents hides the trap from the Ashina army.

The Date were surprised as well, and Shigezane looked at Kojuro in surprise. "What ? But how ?" he asked.

"The villagers had built a dam upstream from here to water their crops. I requested their cooperation to drive away the Ashina by breaking their dam to flood the Ashina and digging several traps to deal with their cavalry," Kojuro stated, "However, breaking the dam would troubles the villagers, so I asked the village elders to visited me in the main camp is he agree on this plan. The signal arrows from earlier was to tell them when to break the dam."

"I see," Shigezane said, "Then why do you asked the Ashina to retreat ?"

Kojuro mounted Yumetsuki, then turned towards Shigezane. "I wish to prevent further bloodshed by asking them to fall back, that way there would be no need to execute this tactic," Kojuro replied, "But if they don't, they will be overconfident enough to charge us with their whole army. Not expecting the flood and traps, their morale should be broken by now."

Indeed, confusion spreads amongst the Ashina ranks, while the Date's morale grows due to this turn of event. Kojuro kept his tactic a secret in case one of their allies decided to betray them by defecting and revealing his plans to the Ashina. Even though he was ridiculed for his inactivity, Kojuro was pleased to see that his plan had worked.

Shigezane chuckled. "Good, I was wondering if you had given up, but it turns out that you are smarter than I thought!"

Kojuro smiled as he shook his head. "It is nothing, anyone with a calm mind could do this."

"Well then, let's finish them off before Masamune got here shall we ?"

Their morale restored, the Date executes a full assault at the disoriented and panicked Ashina. This attack drive them off, scoring a victory for the Date clan. For the next few days, the soldiers and retainers followed Kojuro's every command and directions, resulting in more tactics that successfully repels their enemy long enough for the main force to arrive. From there on, Kojuro Katakura faithfully follows his master on a campaign to unify Oshu under their banner. With the two of them working together, it is only a matter of time before they conquered all of Oshu.

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><p>Aaaanddd~~ that's it for this weeks chap ! Stay tune for the epilogue of Kojuro's Chapter One: the Battle of Ueda Castle !<p>

For **Pyromystic**: it's no Yi Ling, but I hope you enjoy the third story ^^

1) Kojuro used "Watakushi" (我が) to describe himself, which is the most formal polite forms in Japanese personal pronouns.

2) I didn't know the formal way to call one's father at those time, but I'm pretty sure Masamune is not formal enough...

3) Basically, Kojuro is bowing while in seiza position.

4) Unlike English language, there are no "he" or "she" or any other variation of it in Japanese language unless they specifically mention the gender. If I am wrong, please correct me TT^TT

5) In the past, Kojuro (this story's version) has a sensitive feeling... and easily hurt by a rude remarks.

6) Ouchi Sadatsuna is a Date retainer who defected to the Ashina clan of the Aizu region. It is due to this that Masamune declare war on the Ashina clan.

_**Take-ni-suzume: **_Sparrows in bamboo

**Mon **(紋), also **monshō **(紋章) are Japanese emblems used to decorate and identify an individual or family.

**Genpuku** (元服) or **genbuku** was an historical Japanese coming-of-age ceremony. It is to mark the entry to adult of boys between the ages of 11 and 17 (typically of about age 12). FYI: Hanbei said in the Japanese version of SW3 that he already had his Genpuku two years before Kanbei does.

Don't forget to leave a review ! For this chap and for the other three as well ^^


	5. The Battle of Ueda Castle: Epilogue

**Mocca-Marocchi: **Yup, poor poor Kojuro... (don't worry though, he soon adapts and became the Kojuro we known today XDD). And sadly no, that tactics is based on my imagination + strategies from the manga I've read + Sun Tzu's Art of War + Various historical and strategy books about China + etc. so I don't think it is historical =_=

**Pyromystic:** Battle melawan Ashina itu kilas balik. Bukan flashback sih... tapi lebih tepatnya "Gaiden" yg mengambil tempat di masa lalu sebelum pertarungan Ueda castle, semacam "Prologue Gaiden" gitu. Nanti bakalan ada lagi kalau anda mau XDD

After a long time... Kojuro Katakura's stage one is COMPLETE! XDDDD

_BUT_!... It ain't over yet, my friends~~ there are still 4 more stages to go XDD

Honestly though, while I have the rough concepts for both Nobuyuki's and Yoshitsugu's story and endings, Kojuro's is still a bit hazy~ =_=a

I happened to notice that some of you are a bit confused over the reading orders for last week's chap. Well, the third story took place before Ueda castle, during Masamune and Kojuro's early exploit. You should notice it if you read it carefully...

This Epilogue took place post-Ueda Castle after Masamune had unified Oshu. Hope you enjoy it ^^

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><p><strong>For the Greater Good<strong>

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After a long, exhausting campaign, the Date finally succeed in unifying Oshu under their banner. In celebration, the Date throws a banquet, and the mood risen even further when the clan head, Masamune Date, announces his ambition to unite the land. With the clan morale at their highest peak, Masamune believed that they were ready to take on the other warlords of Japan. However...

"My lord !"

A messenger burst into the hall where Date's vassal were having their dinner, panic written all over his face. He immediately dropped to his knee and bow down in front of the officers present. "I brought urgent news! Lord Hideyoshi Toyotomi had conquered Kyushu, and is now moving to capture Eastern Japan!"

Upon hearing the message, murmurs soon began amongst the Date vassals. Any joy and festive mood now had been replaced with doubts and uncertainty. Amidst the whispers and panics, only Kojuro remains calm as he finished his dinner. Kojuro had already predicted this in advance, but kept it to himself to avoid demoralizing the clan. Ieyasu is bound to serve under Hideyoshi, which is the very reason why he wanted to avoid engaging the Tokugawa back at Ueda castle. What Kojuro miscalculated was the speed of Hideyoshi's advance.

As the messenger continues his report of how most of the clans have surrendered to the Toyotomi, leaving only the Date and Hojo standing on Hideyoshi's path of conquest. In frustration, Masamune stood and proceed to kick his food tray, causing it to nearly crashed at the messenger. After this outburst, Masamune stormed out of the hall, much to the confusion of his retainers. His wife, Megohime, looked at Kojuro for support. The both of them have close bonds, akin to that of siblings, and as a result Megohime knew that at the moment Kojuro have a better chance in calming Masamune down.

Taking a sip from his tea, Kojuro nodded and went to follow Masamune...

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When upset, one often goes to a place where they could be by themselves. For Masamune, that place is on the castle's garden, specifically around a lone Sakura tree planted next to the pond. The sakura had already bloomed long ago, and green leaves grew in it's place. The surface of the pond reflected the moon as several koi fish swam peacefully, blissfully unaware of Masamune's frustration. As the young lord paced back and forth, Kojuro looked on from afar.

"Just when I was about to conquer the land, that monkey came and ruin everything!" Masamune exclaimed, before he vent up his anger and frustration by punching the Sakura's bark. Some leaves fell off due to the blow, raining down upon the ground while Masamune catches his breath. He sat down on a rock beside the pond, sighing as he tries in vain to suppress his emotion. "If it comes to this, then the only choice is to resist the Toyotomi..."

Masamune's frustrated decision was overheard by Kojuro, and the latter sighed in respond. Impulsive and boldly arrogant of his own abilities, Masamune always refuses to bow down to others. However, Masamune's pride and recklessness would brought destruction upon himself and his clan if allowed. Hideyoshi Toyotomi is now the virtual ruler of Japan, and to challenged him would simply be suicidal. Determined to change the dragon's decision, Kojuro approached the young ruler of Oshu...

"Ah~ the cherry tree is a refreshing green at this time of the year," Kojuro began(1), "And after the winter the Sakura will bloom once more."

Masamune looked up at Kojuro as he continues. "Everyone is looking forwards for the blossoms, but if you got impatient and forced the sakura to bloom, it will wither and die. Then everyone will suffer as they can no longer appreciate it's beauty."

Kojuro stopped then turned in front of the cherry tree so that he is face to face with Masamune. The moonlight shone through the branches and leaves upon Kojuro, shrouding him in a combination of the lunar light and shadow. This somewhat mystify Kojuro's presence, but Masamune knew that the sparrow often had a penchant for theatrics when he is either acting as a decoy or having an inspiration. "Sure you would satisfied your pride when you face the Toyotomi, but your clan and your people will suffer for that," Kojuro said, smiling as he does so, "Just like what would happen if you cut down the cherry tree."

Masamune scoffs. "So what do you want me to do ? Throw away my pride and beg at Hideyoshi like a dog ?"

Still smiling, Kojuro close his eyes as he shook his head. "What I want you to do is to yield for the greater good, Masamune," Kojuro replied, "For a dragon is known not just for it's ferocity, but for it's wisdom as well."

"For now, the dragon must came down to earth," Kojuro said as he steps out of the shade of the cherry tree, "Submit to Hideyoshi, and the survival of your clan is ensured. Thus your ambition lives on."

Masamune chuckled. Kojuro do have a point, but Masamune also have other plans in mind.

"Fine, I guess I have to yield to that imbeciles Toyotomi and the monkey that is leading them," Masamune stated, "But refused to stay on his shadow! I will prove my worth over Hideyoshi's treasured retainers, and one day they will be the one under the dragon's shadow!"

Masamune stood up. "Are you with me, Kojuro ?" he asked.

Kojuro smiled as he politely bowed. "Of course, Masamune," Kojuro replied, "After all, the sparrow will fly after the dragon, until the very end of the world."

Gentle night breeze blew past Masamune and Kojuro, carrying the cherry tree's green leaves with them as they flew away under the starry skies. The Date have avoid a premature end, and a new dawn arrives as Masamune and Kojuro prepares to meet Hideyoshi. Even though their path were hazy at best, Kojuro prepares for the worst while wishing for the best...

...For he will fulfill his promises to both the late Terumune and Masamune Date, even at the cost of his own life.

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* * *

><p>...And that's that~ ! this chap concludes the first "Stage" of Kojuro's Story Mode! Stay tune after this folks, because Eternal Reverie is coming up NEXT WEEK! And this time, I decides to put more of the playable cast on the spotlight instead of letting Yuuki, Yin Long, the "villains" and other OC from hogging it ^^<p>

Oh, and don't forget to give some review for Nobuyuki's and Yoshitsugu's SM, for after I'm done with ER, I am going to continue the one with the most review ^^

1) Sakura (桜 or 櫻; さくら) is the flower of a cherry tree, which is called "cherry blossoms".

See you guys on Eternal Reverie XDD !


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